


would it be a sin

by pondify



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: F/F, Gay Awakening, Mutual Pining, Page 80 But It's Pinkberry, Phone Sex, Porn with Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-22 20:51:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11974779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pondify/pseuds/pondify
Summary: Later, Brooke will swear that it’s all Jeremy’s fault.---Page 80 fic, but it's Pinkberry.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [octoberfeeling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/octoberfeeling/gifts).



> big thanks to my good pal [honglographology](https://archiveofourown.org/users/honglographology/pseuds/honglographology) for beta reading this for me!
> 
> enjoy these useless lesbians
> 
> (title is from elvis presley's "can't help falling in love with you")

Later, Brooke Lohst will swear that it’s all Jeremy Heere’s fault.

How can she know, when Jeremy texts her in a slight panic at two in the morning, where things will lead from there? She’s always there for him when he needs her, and he does the same—and besides, she’s already awake when he messages her.

**slim shady:**

> brooke
> 
> uhhh something just happened
> 
> im sorry if you’re asleep i just gotta talk to someone about this and ur usually awake

**britney spears:**

> shit jerry what is it? is everything ok?

**slim shady:**

> yea its all good !!!
> 
> its just um
> 
> i might have just
> 
> had phone sex with michael?

She stares at the message for a full thirty seconds before pressing the “call” button at the top of the screen and holding her cellphone to her ear.

He picks up on the third ring. “Hello?” Jeremy says, sounding a little breathless.

“ _What_.” Brooke says flatly, in lieu of a greeting.

“W-what?” he squeaks.

“Tell me _everything_ ,” she demands. “How the hell did that even happen?”

Jeremy stutters for a moment. “I-I-I don’t know, exactly,” he says. “Um, I was w-watching videos, and Michael c-called me. I, uh, I wasn’t g-gonna answer, but I felt bad about i-ignoring him, I guess, so, like, I picked up. I-I tried to hide what I was doing from him, b-but he, um, realized, and it kind of just… escalated from there?”

Brooke pauses. “Is that it? Did you guys at least talk about it afterwards?”

“Yeah, um, we did, actually,” Jeremy says, sounding a little shy. She can picture the boy blushing and ducking his head, fiddling with the sleeves of his cardigan as he adds, “W-we’re going on a date this weekend.”

Inexplicably, Brooke feels her stomach twist in an unpleasant way. She pushes it away to be dealt with later. “Jeremy, that’s great!”

“Yeah.” She can hear Jeremy’s smile through the phone. “He said that he’s liked me ever since middle school. Can you believe that?” He doesn’t even wait for her to reply before rushing on, “I just can’t believe he had a crush on me for so long. Dude, I _really_ like him.”

“I know, Jerry,” she says with a laugh. “You two were the most obvious people, like, _ever._ I honestly can’t believe you didn’t figure it out before now.”

“R-really?” Jeremy’s voice cracks, flustered.

“Yeah, really.” Again she gets that feeling, her chest tight, her stomach churning, and again she shoves it down. “I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks.” She hears the smile in his voice. “Hey, I gotta go get some sleep. Um, thanks for letting me talk about this. And could you maybe kinda keep it on the down-low for a little while?”

“Of course,” she says. “Hey, uh…”

“Yeah?”

Brooke isn’t sure what she stops him for, but for some reason, she almost says, _I was wondering if you thought I could pull off the same thing._

Where did that thought come from?

“Nothing,” she says. “Night, Jeremy. I’ll see you at school.”

“Goodnight, Brooke.”

She sets her phone down, pressing the ‘end call’ button and taking a deep breath. Her stomach is still unsettled, and she rolls over onto her side, wrapping her arms around herself and trying to banish the foreign feeling. It’s a problem to deal with another day, she decides, closing her eyes.

Still, it takes a while before she finally drifts off to sleep.

* * *

The next day, it’s obvious that something happened between Jeremy and Michael Mell—or more accurately, that something _is_ happening. They’re always clingy to each other, always giving each other longing glances when the other isn’t looking, but now they’re much less restrained about it. Holding hands, constantly blushing and smiling at each other at random times, and distracted at best, it’s clear to everyone that something is going on. Jeremy shouldn’t have worried about Brooke outing them; their heart-eyes are more than enough to out themselves.

She’s pretty sure _everyone_ notices, but fortunately, nobody says anything. They all have the discretion—or, in Rich’s case, friends who threaten to beat some discretion into him—to give the boys their privacy, and Brooke knows Jeremy and Michael well enough to know that they’ll tell everyone when they’re ready to.

Before play rehearsal, she sees them standing outside the theater, heads bent together and fingers intertwined as they murmur quietly to each other. She stands and watches them for a moment, taking in the way Jeremy gazes adoringly up at Michael like he’s his whole world, the way Michael smiles softly at the skinny boy and plants a gentle kiss on his forehead that makes him sputter and turn red.

Watching them, Brooke feels something hollow and aching worm its way into her heart, and that unpleasant knot in her stomach is back. She doesn’t _get_ it, until she sees Michael wrap his arm around Jeremy and pull him into a hug, and then suddenly it hits her.

She’s _jealous_.

Brooke twists a lock of blonde hair around her finger, trying to come to terms with this new realization. She’s not jealous of Michael, or, God forbid, of _Jeremy_ —Michael’s cool and all, but he’s gay, and she got over Jeremy ages ago. So what is it about the sight of them together that tugs at her chest?

“Hey.”

An arm drapes around Brooke’s shoulders, and she looks up to see her best friend smiling down at her. Chloe Valentine’s dark, curly hair is swept over her right shoulder, a small braid running across the left side of her head and curving down behind her ear, and her eyelids are a shimmery golden color.

“Hey, Chloe,” Brooke says, the jealousy in her core lightening to something warm and tingly, the now-familiar fizzy feeling of affection that always accompanies the sight of Chloe filling her. They’ve been best friends since freshman year, and Chloe never fails to make her feel like soda bubbles personified.

Chloe glances over at Michael and Jeremy, her red lips forming a wicked smirk. “So, they finally got their shit together?” she says, lowering her voice.

“I guess so.” Brooke drops her hand from where she’s officially made a tangled mess of that strand of her hair. Having Chloe’s face so close to hers is making her a little flustered. All she can think about is how much she wants to cup her jaw, turn Chloe’s face towards her, rise up on her tiptoes, and—

Wait. What the _fuck_?

Brooke pales, but Chloe doesn’t seem to notice. She just pats Brooke’s shoulder and says, “Pinkberry after rehearsal?”

Panicking a little from her revelation, Brooke stammers for a second before regaining her composure. “I, uh, I-I actually have a lot of homework.” As Chloe’s face falls, she quickly adds, “But tomorrow, okay?”

“You owe me, Brooke,” Chloe says, but it’s teasing. “Good luck in rehearsal.”

 _Yeah,_ Brooke thinks, watching her gorgeous best friend walk away, and everything clicks into place. _I do owe you._

* * *

 

**britney spears:**

> jer-bear?
> 
> can i ask you a question

**slim shady:**

> what can i do you for brooke

**britney spears:**

> how did you know you liked michael?
> 
> like what made you realize that you saw him as more than just your best friend

**slim shady:**

> hmm well
> 
> i’m not totally sure? i think maybe it just sort of happened gradually
> 
> we were playing video games one day and i just looked over and thought, shit, i like him

**britney spears:**

> ooookay
> 
> but like did you already know you were bi?
> 
> and how did it feel whenever you were around him after that?

**slim shady:**

> yeah i was already pretty sure
> 
> and i totally had the worst butterflies when i saw him after that lol, i’d get all nervous and shaky
> 
> he didn’t really seem to notice though which at the time was probably a good thing

**britney spears:**

> oh shit

**slim shady:**

> brooke you okay?
> 
> what is this about? if you don’t mind me asking

**britney spears:**

> umm
> 
> i think i might be having a sexuality crisis

**slim shady:**

> omg brooke congrats
> 
> hang on is it okay if i ask rich to text you? he’s really good with this stuff
> 
> i didn’t have much of a “crisis” so he could probably give you better advice if ur comfortable with it

**britney spears:**

> i  mean sure yeah???

**slim shady:**

> okay cool just give me one sec
> 
> im proud of you brooke!

**britney spears:**

> thanks jeremy

* * *

 

**volunteer fire starter:**

> hey hey hey hows it hangin brooke
> 
> i heard you were thinkin about banging a chick

**britney spears:**

> rich what the fuck

**volunteer fire starter:**

> listen pal i know alllllll about the gay awakening
> 
> been there, done that
> 
> so tell me, whos the girl

**britney spears:**

> who says there’s actually a girl

**volunteer fire starter:**

> brooke, sweetie,,
> 
> theres Always a girl

**britney spears:**

> ugh okay fine
> 
> look you can’t tell anybody

**volunteer fire starter:**

> when have i Ever
> 
> your gay secret is safe with me

**britney spears:**

> it’s chloe

**volunteer fire starter:**

> HA FUCKING CALLED IT
> 
> JEREMY OWES ME TEN BUCKS

**britney spears:**

> RICH

**volunteer fire starter:**

> okay okay sorry
> 
> !!!!
> 
> brooke you gotta listen to me
> 
> repressing that shit isnt healthy
> 
> so first of all im hella proud of you for telling us
> 
> second of all tbh i think you should tell her? like i think u have a really good shot
> 
> like as good as jeremy and michael

**britney spears:**

> hahahahaha
> 
> that's funny rich

**volunteer fire starter:**

> hey no im actually being serious for once, take advantage of this
> 
> trust me, i get how much it sucks to be pining after your best friend
> 
> and i want to see you happy
> 
> you deserve that

**britney spears:**

> wow
> 
> thank you

**volunteer fire starter:**

> no problem :)
> 
> NOW GO GET SOME PUSSY

**britney spears:**

> RICH

* * *

Brooke feels a little better after talking to her friends, but the advice they’ve given her is easier said than done, to put it mildly. Granted, she’s not as insecure as she was junior year, but she has trouble believing that _Chloe Valentine_ , of all people, would actually like her. And there’s no way she could be confident enough to outright confess.

That night, she’s finishing up her Personal Finance homework when a sudden idea strikes her. It’s an _awful_ idea, honestly, probably one of the worst ideas she’s had in her seventeen years of living. But Brooke’s never had a good track record for showing restraint.

And besides, it worked for Jeremy, didn’t it?

She feels herself blush just thinking about what she’s about to do, but she picks up her phone and hits ‘1’ on speed-dial before she can lose her resolve or think about it too hard. Chloe usually picks up sometime after the third ring, so she holds the phone to her ear and settles back on her bed as she waits.

True to form, Chloe picks up halfway through the fourth ring. “Hey, Brooke!”

“Hey, Chlo.” Brooke bites her lip. “What’s up?”

“Not much. What about you? How’s that homework going?”

“Uh, good. I finished it.” Brooke’s fingers dance along the waistband of her jeans, her lilac-varnished nails lightly scraping the denim. The anticipation is already making her feel hot. “How was your day?”

“Good.” There’s a rustling noise on the other end. “ _Ugh_ , Madeline was trying to talk to me again in first period, though.”

Brooke holds the phone between her ear and her shoulder, unbuttoning her jeans and slowly sliding them off. “Yeah? What’d she say?” She can’t really find it in her to be ashamed about what she’s about to do.

“Oh my god, you’ll never believe it.” Chloe scoffs. “She was, like, trying to hang out with me, or something? I don’t even know why she thinks she can talk to me…”

Chloe continues to ramble, but Brooke isn’t really paying attention to what she’s saying anymore, just to the sound of her voice. _And she really does have a nice voice_ , Brooke thinks hazily as she starts to touch herself through her panties. Low, a little husky, and extremely familiar from their years of friendship—it’s no wonder boys like Chloe so much.

A jolt goes through Brooke.

“… I mean, who does she think she is?” Chloe sighs into the phone. “Fuck, sorry, I got a little carried away. She’s such a bitch, though. Anyway, how was your day?”

Brooke’s stomach swoops. “It was good,” she says, a little breathily.

“Yeah?” Chloe hums. “How was play rehearsal? Aren’t your shows coming up, like, soon?”

Fighting to keep her voice controlled as she pulls off her underwear, Brooke says, “Y-yeah, it’s in a few weeks.” She bites back a moan as she strokes herself again, this time without the fabric barrier. Fuck, she’s already wet, and she’s barely done anything.

“Brooke, are you okay?” Worry colors Chloe’s tone. “You sound kinda weird.”

“What?” Brooke laughs, her legs twitching as her fingertips circle her clit. “Nah, I’m good. Um, I-I’m excited to go to Pinkberry with you tomorrow.”

She can hear the smile in Chloe’s voice as she replies, “Totally! It’s been, like, ages since we last went.” A slight pause. “I missed hanging out with you, Brooke.”

Maybe it’s the way Chloe’s voice softens, becoming a touch shy, when she says this, or maybe it’s the way Brooke’s fingers slide over just the right spot at that exact moment. Whatever the reason, her breath hitches, and before she can stop herself, she’s whining, barely audibly, “Ch- _Chloe_ —”

There’s dead silence on the other end. Brooke freezes, panic tightening her muscles as she bites down on her lips, but it’s too late. There’s no way Chloe didn’t hear her.

After what feels like an actual eternity, Chloe says quietly, “Brooke?”

“Y-yeah?” Brooke’s voice is shaking.

“… What are you doing right now?”

Brooke’s hand slowly shifts, almost of its own accord, to her entrance, spreading her wetness around and rubbing over her sensitive clit again. “I-I, uh,” she stammers, wincing. She sounds completely wrecked. “Nothing?”

Chloe’s quiet for a long moment. “Brooke,” she says again, her voice low, and _fuck_ if it doesn’t sound hot as hell to hear Chloe saying her name like that. God, she’s in trouble. “Are you, like… are you touching yourself?”

The only sound that leaves Brooke’s mouth is a tiny gasp as she does exactly that.

She hears Chloe exhale, the sound crackling slightly through the receiver. “Damn, Brooke,” she says. “Why are you… are you thinking about _me_?”

“I—yeah,” Brooke says, closing her eyes. There’s no point in lying. After all, isn’t this what she intended?

“Fuck.” Chloe sounds—actually, she can’t tell how Chloe sounds. Is she freaking out? Is she disgusted? Is she thinking about how much of a freak Brooke is?

Then, Chloe’s voice drops lower, and she says in a way that can only be described as _seductive_ , “What are you imagining?”

Brooke flushes. She has no idea what Chloe is playing at, but she figures she might as well just go with it. You only live once, right?

“I… I’m thinking about…” Brooke swallows hard, an image of Chloe’s dark curly head between her thighs flashing into her mind. “Y-your mouth,” she says.

“Mhm?” There’s a smirk in Chloe’s voice. “What about my mouth? You’re going to have to be more specific, Brooke.”

Brooke rubs herself furiously. “Between my—my legs,” she admits.

“Fuck, you want me to eat you out, baby?” Chloe says breathlessly.

“ _Yes_ ,” Brooke whimpers. She has no idea when she got so needy. “W-would you?”

“Hell yeah,” Chloe says. “I bet you taste amazing. You’re so sweet, Brooke. You make the prettiest little noises.”

Jesus Christ. “Chloe,” Brooke pants.

“What else are you thinking about?”

“Your hands,” Brooke answers, trying to even out her breathing as she pictures Chloe’s soft, long fingers on her skin, touching her face, her chest, trailing down over her stomach and thighs and slipping inside her. “I, I want—oh my god.”

Chloe makes a noise that sounds suspiciously like a moan, and Brooke nearly comes right then at the sound. Quickly, she continues, “I-I’d want to touch you too, Chloe. Wanna feel you. I wanna make you feel good.”

“Me too, baby,” Chloe whispers. “Brooke, _Brooke_ —you have no idea—”

Brooke’s close, practically on the edge at this point, and maybe that’s why she starts to babble as she rubs herself faster, applying more pressure. “Chloe, oh my god, babe, you’re so beautiful—fuck, I-I wish you were here right now—I’m gonna… oh god, _Chloe_ , I love you—”

She comes with a shudder and a sigh, pleasure pouring over her like white-hot stardust. Her fingers still, hovering just over her pulsing core, and she trembles in the afterglow, letting out short, whimpering moans.

Chloe is strangely silent as Brooke comes down from her climax. The blonde takes a deep breath, rolling over onto her side and adjusting her hold on the phone. “Chloe?” she says tentatively.

“Did you…” Chloe starts, then trails off.

Brooke waits, teeth digging into her bottom lip. “Did I what?” she prompts.

“Nothing. I have to go,” Chloe says abruptly, and there’s a beep as she hangs up.

“Wh—Chloe?” Brooke pulls the phone away from her ear and stares at the screen. Yeah, Chloe actually just hung up on her. The _hell_?

Bewildered, she wracks her brain for something she could’ve said to piss Chloe off or upset her in any way. But there’s nothing, nothing except—

_I love you._

“Oh, shit,” Brooke says aloud.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I swear, it’s your fault, Jeremy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for all the lovely comments! i'm so glad you guys liked this so much!
> 
> and thanks again to my beta for editing this for me! i don't know what i'd do without you!
> 
> i hope you all enjoy part two!!! sorry it's a bit shorter than the first part!

“Wait, you did _what_?” Jeremy says.

Brooke glowers at him, her face flushed. “You heard me.”

“Let me get this straight,” he says, sounding incredulous. “You tried to—and then you—” He splutters for a moment, words coming out in an almost incoherent jumble. “But then she just hung up on you?”

“That sounds about right,” Brooke says miserably. “I swear, it’s your fault, Jeremy.”

“How is it _my_ fault?!”

“You gave me the idea!” She groans, putting her head down on the table. “God, she’s never going to speak to me ever again.”

“Who’s never speaking to who ever again?” Rich says from behind her.

Jeremy sighs, patting Brooke’s shoulder. “Brooke thinks Chloe hates her,” he explains.

Rich sits down on her other side at the library table. “What did you do?” he says.

Lifting her head, Brooke says, “I had phone sex with her and then told her I love her, and she hung up on me.”

Rich is silent for a long moment, processing this. Then, he says, “Brooke, you useless lesbian.”

Jeremy cracks up, but Brooke just blushes harder and pouts. “It’s not funny!” she whines. “She seemed really into it until I said that stupid fucking thing, and then she just freaked. God. I bet she hates me.”

“No way,” Rich says. “She’s probably just having a gay panic, same as you. Chloe is notorious for being shit at communicating her feelings.”

“What feelings?” Brooke sighs.

Jeremy and Rich exchange glances. “Brooke,” Jeremy says gently. “Do you… really love Chloe?”

Brooke winces, but she knows she can’t lie to Jeremy. “… Yes,” she admits painfully.

“Then you need to talk to her.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Brooke grumbles, but she knows she’s being a bitch. “I just… I don’t know if I can handle being rejected, like, _twice_.”

“Then why don’t you just show up to Pinkberry this afternoon and see if she does too?” Jeremy suggests. “Didn’t you say you guys were supposed to hang out there today?”

“Yeah, but like… what if she doesn’t come? I’m gonna look like an idiot sitting there by myself. Everyone’s gonna know I got stood up.” She’s getting ahead of herself, she knows this, but she can’t help it. She buries her face in her hands, trying not to cry.

“If she doesn’t, I’ll beat her up,” Rich says.

“ _Rich_!”

“I’m joking!” He holds up his hands, grinning. “Well, mostly.”

Brooke snorts. “I’ll think about it,” she says, looking down. “It’s just… scary, I guess.” She doesn’t like making herself vulnerable, and she’s almost glad her friends know that. At least it means she doesn’t have to say it out loud.

Jeremy wraps his arms around her, and Rich does the same, the two boys hugging her from either side. “You can do this, Brooke,”  Jeremy murmurs and plants a kiss on her cheek.

“Thanks, you guys.” Brooke tries on a smile, and surprisingly, it fits.

* * *

 

Brooke eats lunch in her car that day instead of with everyone else in the cafeteria. She doesn’t think she can stand sitting in her usual seat beside Chloe, with all their friends around them, while the other girl is ignoring her. It’s bad enough in all the classes they have together, and honestly, she just needs a break—and the chance to psych herself up before that afternoon.

So, yeah, she’s going to Pinkberry after rehearsal. If she’s being completely honest, she’s pretty sure she decided to the moment Jeremy suggested it, but it doesn’t make her any less terrified. In fact, it almost makes it worse, since there’s little to no chance that Chloe will actually show up.

But, well. She loves Chloe. And if there’s one thing she’s absolutely sure of, it’s that she wants to be with her, more than she’s ever wanted to be with anyone. So there’s that.

She’s distracted all throughout play rehearsal, forgetting her lines even more than usual. She knows her friends, especially the ones who have no idea what’s going on, are worried, but she can’t talk about it or she’ll lose her nerve.

(Plus, the whole situation is _so_ embarrassing.)

Brooke practically runs to her car once rehearsal is over. She thinks she breaks the speed limit on the way to Pinkberry, but she honestly doesn’t care.

When she walks in, Chloe is nowhere to be seen. She tries not to be too disappointed—after all, it’s absolutely to be expected, given the way that Chloe has been avoiding her all day—but her chest still feels tight as she sits down.

It’s 5:43, and usually when Brooke and Chloe meet up after rehearsal, it’s around 5:45. Brooke decides she’ll give Chloe an hour before messaging her.

Minutes pass. Brooke does homework, plays games on her phone, reads over her lines, anything to keep herself occupied, to distract herself from the slow, sinking dread in the pit of her stomach.

6:02. Still no Chloe.

The manager, who recognizes Brooke from her frequent visits there, offers her a free scoop of frozen yogurt out of sympathy around 6:15, but Brooke politely declines. She’ll buy something before leaving, even if Chloe doesn’t ever show.

By 6:37, Brooke can’t take it anymore.

**britney spears:**

> chloe? i’m at pinkberry. can you please come? i need to talk to you.

Nearly ten minutes later, she finally gets a reply.

**bubblegum bitch:**

> ok

Brooke’s heart immediately starts pounding wildly, and she sets her phone down on the table, taking a deep breath. “Holy fuck,” she mutters. _Okay, Brooke. It’s okay. Everything is fine._

Now might be a good time for that frozen yogurt.

She insists on paying for her single scoop of piña colada, even though the manager seems really adamant on letting her have it for free. After a few minutes of negotiating, she reluctantly accepts a discount, pouting a little as she watches them scoop it. Froyo cup in hand, she turns around to go back to her table—and standing directly behind her is Chloe.

Brooke almost drops her froyo.

For a tense moment, they just stand there, staring. The air between them weighs on Brooke’s shoulders, her breath dragging out of her lungs, heavy with everything unspoken. Chloe’s expression is unreadable, her green eyes boring into Brooke. Meanwhile, Brooke is positive that every single thing she’s feeling is visible on her face, her heart bared for Chloe Valentine to see. _Take it_ , she wants to say. _My heart. It’s yours._

“Uh, hey!” Brooke says after what feels like forever. Her voice cracks awkwardly, way too high-pitched, and she cringes.

Chloe just looks at her. “Hi,” she says quietly.

Brooke bites her lip, a lump forming in her throat. “Um, d-do you wanna… sit down?” she asks nervously, turning her cup in her hands. The condensation makes her fingers slippery.

“Sure,” Chloe says, glancing away for the first time, and the tightness in Brooke’s chest eases the tiniest bit. “Where…?”

“Um—” Brooke quickly steps past her, switching the cup to just one hand and gesturing with the other to her table (their table). “Over here.”

Chloe’s lips press together in a thin line, but she sits down at the empty chair, and Brooke slinks into the other one. It’s silent as she slowly takes a bite of her frozen yogurt, her eyes fixed firmly on the white table. God, the tension is even worse.

Eventually, Chloe takes a deep breath and says, “Why did you ask me to come here?”

Brooke’s head jerks up. “W-well,” she says. “Um. I thought we should… talk. You know, after last night.”

Chloe blushes and looks down, frowning. “What about it?”

“Why did you hang up on me?” Brooke blurts out. When Chloe glances up, eyes wide, she rushes on, “I mean—I would understand if you freaked out a little, I know that was, like, a lot to drop on you all at once, but you just—you didn’t—you didn’t _say_ anything to me, Chloe. You didn’t tell me why, y-you just… _ignored_ me all day, and okay, I get it if you don’t…” She’s mortified to find that her eyes are filling with tears, and she covers her eyes with her hand, trying to save some of her dignity.

“But just _tell_ me,” she finishes, her voice rasping a little as she struggles not to cry.

Silence again. Brooke dares to look up at her friend a moment later and sees that Chloe’s cheeks are flushed even redder than before, her lips parted in shock.

“You…” Chloe begins, her voice choked. “You actually _meant_ it?”

A half-sob, half-laugh dislodges from Brooke’s chest and forces its way out of her throat, and she closes her eyes. “Yeah, Chloe,” she says.

“I thought…” Chloe seems to struggle for words. “I thought you just said that, like—”

“In the moment?” Brooke bites her lip.

“Yeah.”

She shakes her head.

A beat. Then she hears the scrape of Chloe’s chair scooting back on the tile floor, and footsteps, and she thinks Chloe is leaving, but they’re going the wrong way. They’re coming closer.

“Brooke,” Chloe says softly, crouching beside Brooke’s chair. Her hand cups Brooke’s chin and tilts her face upward, and then Chloe’s mouth is on hers.

Immediately, Brooke’s hands latch onto Chloe’s jacket, holding on for dear life. The other girl’s full lips are soft, with the lingering taste of strawberry chapstick, and a stray curl brushes Brooke’s cheek. She sighs into the kiss, then reluctantly pulls back.

Chloe looks at her, a slight smile on her face as she cups Brooke’s face with both hands. “I love you, too,” she says.

“Y-you do?” Maybe Brooke shouldn’t be that astonished by this, considering that they just _kissed_ , but it still floors her.

Giggling, Chloe pecks her lips again. “Yeah, baby. I do.”

“Then why—?”

“Why did I hang up? When I thought you weren’t serious, I… it was awful. I thought you didn’t mean it, and I—I’ve been in love with you for… God, it’s been years,” Chloe admits, a touch self-consciously.

Brooke’s cheeks turn scarlet. “Wait, really?”

“Um, yeah.” Chloe tilts her head, smiling shyly, which is honestly an expression Brooke never thought she’d see on her best friend’s face.

“Holy shit,” Brooke says.

And then she kisses Chloe again. And again. And again—until the manager clears their throat pointedly from behind them, and they jerk apart, both blushing and apologizing profusely.

“It’s okay,” the manager assures them, with a slight smirk on their face. “Honestly, I should be thanking you. You two just won me ten dollars. But I’m going to have to ask that you not make out in my store.”

Brooke and Chloe watch, stunned, as the manager walks behind the counter and begins swapping money with the other employees. It takes Brooke a second longer than it should to realize that apparently, the Pinkberry employees have been betting on how long it would take her and Chloe to get together.

“Holy shit,” Chloe echoes Brooke’s earlier words.

Brooke snorts, her hand sliding into Chloe’s. “Holy shit is right, babe.”

It fits perfectly.

* * *

 

**britney spears:**

> SO
> 
> GUESS WHO JUST GOT A GIRLFRIEND

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr!
> 
>  
> 
> [playground-ghost.tumblr.com](http://playground-ghost.tumblr.com)


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